Beck, Wilco and Feist Tackle The Songs Of Skip Spence

Videos by American Songwriter

Beck’s Record Club just keeps getting cooler. Having previously tackled The Velvet Undergound and Nico and The Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Beck now turns his attention to Skip Spence’s Oar. Joining him on the project are Feist, Wilco, and Jamie Lidell. Jeff Tweedy’s young son Spencer sits in on drums.

Beck writes:

This one took place last June when Wilco was in town for the release of their new eponymous album. They came by after a long day filming a TV appearance and still managed to put down 8 songs with us. Jamie Liddell was in the studio with me working on his new record. Leslie Feist happened to be in town editing her documentary and heard we were all getting together. Recording took place at Sunset Sound Studios in the room where the Stones did a lot of Exile On Main Street (and looking at the records on the walls it appeared that the Doobie Brothers recorded most of their output there too). Sitting in on drums, we had James Gadson, who’s played on most of the Bill Withers records and on songs like “Express Yourself” and “I Will Survive.” Jeff Tweedy’s son Spencer played additional drums. Also, Brian Lebarton, from the last two Record Club sessions is back.

Skip Spence was a drummer for Jefferson Airplane in the late ’60s, before leaving to become a guitarist and vocalist in Moby Grape. During his tenure with that band, he wrote revered songs like “Omaha” and “Indifference.” Heavy drug use and a decline in mental health coincided with the release of his solo album, Oar, in 1969, an album which went on to be a cult favorite. Robert Plant, Beck, and Tom Waits were among the artists who contributed to More Oar, a Skip Spence tribute album, in 1999, the same year that Spence died.

Check out the first song and video, featuring the acoustic guitar-fest of Beck and the gang performing “Little Hands” below, and head to Beck.com for weekly updates.

Record Club: Skip Spence “Little Hands” from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Here’s some Record Club projects we’d like to see in 2010:

Beck and Radiohead cover Billy Joel’s 52nd Street.

Beck, Neko Case and Rilo Kiley cover INXS’ Kick.

Beck, Lil Wayne and Lady Gaga cover Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game.

Beck, Ween, and Public Enemy cover Ruben Studdard’s The Return.